North Orange Discount Drug Store pharmacist in charge Tim Denham said there had been an increase in the number of people seeking Ventolin and other respiratory relief.

With challenging conditions continuing, Mr Denham said remaining indoors was advisable.

"If they're susceptible to smoke or dust or pollen on those high-rating days, avoidance is the key," he said.

He said asthmatics should have an asthma plan in place, in consultation with their GP.

"An asthma plan tells people what they should do if their symptoms change," he said.

Mr Denham said strategies could involve medication, lifestyle choices or visiting the GP and aimed to prevent patients from being hospitalised.

According to the state government's air quality index, Orange's rating for inhalable particles of 10 micrometres was very poor, with a reading of 172.

The rating for particles of 2.5 micrometres, considered particularly problematic for human health, was hazardous, at a reading of 259.

Visibility due to smoke haze was rated as fair.

It marked a significant improvement on Monday where visibility was also hazardous and the concentration of particles was more than three times higher.

A Western NSW Local Health District spokeswoman said the number of people presenting at emergency for shortness of breath during November was 17 per cent higher than the same period in 2018.

Air quality has been subpar on several occasions during the past month due to bushfires raging across the state.

"The number of those people who were admitted to hospital increased by 39 per cent," the spokeswoman said.

"The largest increase of people presenting to emergency departments with a respiratory disease diagnosis was in the 65 years and over aged group."

She said the number presenting to LHD hospitals during Monday's conditions were only slightly above average.

"From November 11 to [Monday], the average number of presentations for respiratory system illnesses was about 34 a day across our district - [on Monday] there were 39," she said.